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Brainstorming Session: The Undercurrents

Another College Application Essay...a good 3/4 years ago.---

A slight breeze moves lazily across the beautiful landscape of the Savannah. Though the leaves of the trees ruffle as she passes by, the serenity of the land is left immaculately untouched. The sunshine produces diamonds as it glistens in the clear waters of the lake below. In the distance, birds chirp gaily while a giraffe silently nibbles the succulent green leaves of a nearby tree. Content, the breeze drifts along as she absorbs the calmness of the atmosphere.

Suddenly, dark clouds gather over the landscape. Confused, the breeze rushes overhead the looming clouds. That is her undoing as she gets caught up in a flurry of confusion and intense activity. Soon enough, the serenity of the land is ruthlessly hurled away and replaced by that which was there but was left unseen: the undercurrents.

Some people may consider me too young to contemplate serious issues in life such as discrimination and war. Others still, on the other hand, may expect it of me; being as old at heart as they assume me to be. Personally, I find it very typical of me to get caught up in such issues at one time and to be totally ignorant of them at another.

In my eighteen years of life, I have come to realize that we humans tend to cover up situations and try to alter life-challenging circumstances into situations we can cope with. Like the gentle breeze who assumed everything was calm and serene, we are sometimes taken unawares by the eventualities which plague our lives. The paradox of it all is whether these eventualities are mere happenings constituting a red-letter day or the undercurrents of our lives; barely recognizable but definitely existent.

Many war-torn countries worldwide are bombarded with numerous problems ranging from diseases to death. It is no secret that these countries exist and is even more evident that just as a seemingly innocuous spark could be transformed into a blazing inferno, petty quarrels could escalate into bloody wars. Many countries proclaim peace. However, a stroll down a dark alley constituting the slum areas of these countries would point out that the very problems which plague the war-torn countries are also inherent in these “peaceful” countries.

Over the decades, issues of discrimination have been discussed by people of various backgrounds. At present, the discrimination levels across the globe is said to have diminished over the years. Nevertheless, under the established layer of equality amongst men, there still looms the threat of discrimination. Proclaiming one’s dislike for a class of people is but one form of discrimination. The varying levels of approval, respect and tolerance we accord different people is another.

Perhaps, this habit of ignoring inevitable and important issues in our lives is our way of dealing with our imperfections. It could also be our trying to live ideal lives. However, so long as the power of choice is present, the existence of the undercurrents still looms.